Tried a little glass blowing. Working with fire and molten glass is a totally different experience. There were some creative overlaps but also some very unique skills I learned. Working with hot glass is a bit like patting your head and rubbing your belly simultaneously. Oh yeah, and its super dangerous! It was a ton of fun and a nice change of pace from using brushes.

Best painting companion ever. Cassie loves going out painting with me. She gets excited when I start to pack my gear. Then she sleeps for almost two days when we get back. Content and exhausted from being on watch.

Inspired by Jove Wang, Daniel Keyes and some other artists friends, Still Life is not just for when you can't get outside! I've enjoyed experimenting in this genre. Thanks also to Lark Farnum Designs for all her stunning floral inspirations.

Practice is different than painting. Playing piano scales helps a musician to play a concerto. Composition sketches help me think through ways of organizing paintings and are a great help with my plein air work and finsih paintings. Edgar Payne's book Composition and Outdoor Painting is a great read if you'd like to know more

I don't typically paint with an umbrella but it was hot out in Arizona. The Plen Air Conference in Tucson was an amazing experience! 900 Plein Air painters playing in the same sandbox - unforgettable! Can't wait for next year! #PACE16

Thank you to Audrey and Steve Monke for inviting me up and hosting GUY FISH FINE ART to paint their spectacular site. GOLD ARROW CAMP is not just a stunning location but a wonderful place to send your child away for a summer of fun. Such a pretty place and such a great place for campers to experience rustic living in the spectacular backdrop of the Sierra National Forest. Explore www.goldarrowcamp.com and see why this California camp has been a summer home to thousands of happy children since 1933. Can't wait to go back!

Had an awesome trip to Cheley Colorado Camps in Estes Park (www.cheley.com). Inspiring people, places and paintings. Also had a great day out to Rocky Mountain National Park where we saw Bear, Elk and the glorious turning of the aspen. Breathtaking - and fun!